


The Nights That Followed

by OHJO



Series: Nights Like These [2]
Category: DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sladdick, Sladin, What else is new, boys not knowing how to express their feelings, dickstroke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25372780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OHJO/pseuds/OHJO
Summary: Following a surprisingly flirtatious conclusion to their previous night at the gala, Slade struggles to define his relationship with Dick. So much had changed in the three years that he was gone, had the mercenary changed as well? All he knew was that he couldn't get a certain hero off of his mind.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson
Series: Nights Like These [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826881
Comments: 15
Kudos: 125





	The Nights That Followed

The next time that the mercenary ran into his favorite little hero, Dick was busy being  _ Nightwing. _

Slade had no idea what happened during the three years that he was out of the country, but he was dying to know what had caused the little bird to split from his beloved Bat family. Regardless, Slade thought it was a wise decision on Dick’s part, he always felt like Batman and his silly ideologies were constantly holding the young hero back. 

_ The kid still probably refuses to hold a gun, though. The Bat has already brainwashed him beyond repair in that department.  _ Slade huffed disappointedly, watching from afar as Nightwing pursued his target; some maniac with wings and a flamethrower. The mercenary wasn’t sure if Gotham’s villain requirements had been lowered since he’d been away, or if his expectations were just too high to begin with. 

Despite the fact that the crazy bug-looking villain could fly, Nightwing tailed him with ease. It was quite a show to watch the young hero soar from building to building, flipping and landing with grace each time. Slade couldn’t help but notice how lovely his form looked as it stretched and flexed. If Slade had thought he looked good in that suit at the gala,  _ this _ was surely even more of a treat.

The mercenary was in the middle of returning to his apartment after a simple hit job when he spotted Nightwing chasing the strange villain across town. That’s where his spying should have ended, buuuuut Slade had decided to follow the two men instead. Well, he  _ was _ much more interested in one man over the other but...okay  _ fine _ , he was really only following Dick, but he just couldn’t help himself. He hadn’t seen Dick perform as a hero since he was a few years younger, as Robin, and things seemed entirely different now. The Robin he knew had been quick on his feet and able to make sharp-witted decisions that helped him navigate fights. In addition, his innate flexibility only made him harder to capture or hold down. But ultimately, the Boy Wonder was there to compliment Batman, to match his mentor’s fighting style and methods of nonlethal capture. 

But this new persona _, Nightwing_ , starkly contrasted with the Robin that Slade knew. Just from witnessing this scuffle alone, the mercenary was pleased to see how much more structured Dick was with his actions, he was undoubtedly utilizing his strengths to their full potential. His acrobatic capabilities were better woven into his fighting technique, and he had ditched any form of armor to allow himself to move faster than ever. This left him vulnerable, but Slade knew Dick loved to be challenged. More than anything, Slade wished he was the one challenging him right now.

With that thought, the mercenary abandoned his hiding spot to lunge into the middle of Nightwing and Firefly’s fight. The two men were shocked by his presence, to say the least, but where the wannabe-villain staggered backwards in response, Nightwing only stood taller, whipping out his escrima sticks and assuming a defensive stance.

“Slade.” The bird hissed, and despite wearing a mask, Slade could properly envision the hero’s pretty blue eyes narrowing at him. It made him shiver with anticipation.

“Little bird,” Slade greeted back, unsheathing his katanas and matching Nightwing’s stance. 

For a moment, they seemed to have forgotten about the other villain standing nearby, who was shaking nervously.

“W-What the fuck is Deathstroke doing here?!” Firefly screeched, anxiously grabbing for his flamethrower while he looked between the two men across from him.

Nightwing’s stance loosened while he turned to address the obnoxious bug-man. “Oh, I invited him here for tea, did I forget to tell you?” He answered mockingly, making Slade smirk behind his own mask.

“And crumpets, you promised there’d be crumpets.” The mercenary added seriously. Firefly looked like he was about to shit his pants. 

When the flustered villain stuttered aimlessly in response, Slade decided he would take the man out since he was being such a rude distraction. Rushing at him with his katanas, Slade sliced across the man’s chest in one swift movement. Well, that was the plan, but Nightwing slid in between them at the last moment, deflecting Slade’s swords with his escrima sticks, a loud  _ clang _ ringing out. One katana clattered to the ground, making the mercenary grin eagerly. Nightwing didn’t even look at Slade, instead turning towards Firefly with an escrima stick pointed at him in warning.

“I’d leave, unless you’re itching to die.” He stated, eerily calm. This made Dick seem like  _ he _ was the threat to be feared, but the mercenary knew that the only reason the young hero was acting in such a way was because he was trying to separate Firefly from the real danger here: Slade. 

_ He’s right, I would squash this damn bug without a second thought.  _ Slade hummed to himself, slowly crouching to grab his fallen katana while the bird still had his back turned. Before he could pick it up, a shuriken-like weapon pierced the ground where his hand was reaching. 

The older man retracted his uninjured hand, chuckling as he looked up at Nightwing who focused on him with undivided attention; Firefly finally out of sight. “New toys, Grayson?” 

“Same toys, just upgraded.” Nightwing growled, flinging three more at Slade quicker than the man could blink. He still dodged them, of course, but that didn’t mean the mercenary wasn’t impressed.

“New costume too, huh?” Slade goaded, making sure to drag his eyes slowly up and down Dick’s lithe form. “A bit tight, but I’m not complaining.”    
The young hero let out an exasperated breath, but Slade didn’t miss the way his posture changed. His mouth pressed into a straight line and he clenched his fists around his escrima sticks. He was embarrassed.

“It’s called a  _ uniform _ ,” Dick’s voice cracked, flustered, “and it being tight is part of its practical design.” As much as the mercenary loved watching the bird fidget under his gaze, he was still longing for a fight.

“Why don’t you show me  _ how _ practical.” Slade taunted, and then charged the other man with his single blade drawn. Dick flew backwards and out of the way with little effort, throwing more shuriken that grazed the mercenary’s hand that held his last remaining katana. Slade avoided this with ease, not giving the hero any time to rest as he slashed at him over and over again. Nightwing parried each swing, while also occasionally striking at Slade’s weak points in his armor. He landed a few hits successfully, but it wouldn’t be enough, not with those blunt weapons. 

Impatiently, Slade used his free hand to grab on to one of the younger man’s escrima sticks mid-swing. He snatched it from him easily, perhaps too easily. Nightwing made use of his emptied hand to launch more shuriken at Slade’s neck, between where his helmet ended and his armor began. The mercenary felt the sharp blades pierce the skin of his neck, but he only barked with laughter and used the chance to sweep his legs under Dick’s. 

Senses still honed, Dick jumped over this attack and kicked Slade in the jaw. The mercenary grunted, dropping the escrima stick he had stolen. Reacting out of instinct, he angrily grabbed for Nightwing’s leg and harshly swung him the other direction… which happened to be over the roof of the building they were fighting on.

_ Oops.  _ Slade realized half-heartedly, knowing it was too late to grab for the man again or catch him. He watched as Dick flew over the roof upside-down, but was surprised to watch the boy contort his body so he began to fall foot-first towards the ground. 

_ Poor kid’s gonna break his ankles. _ The older man peered over the edge of the roof, unable to look away. He only meant to put the young hero in his place, but this might cause some long-term damage that Slade would have on his conscience for a while. 

Somehow, like always, Dick was able to turn the situation around to be in his favor. The bird pulled out a small grappling hook gun from god-knows-where considering how minimal his uniform was, and aimed it at a porch just below the roof of the building he was just thrown off of. The hook wrapped around the railing of said porch and before the mercenary knew it, Nightwing had swung past the railing and was now descending upon him with an expression so wrathful, it made Slade’s heart skip a beat.

The foot that landed on his chest plate and knocked him backwards was so worth being able to watch the rage consume Dick as he plunged towards him. The younger man was just so  _ furious _ , and Slade was living for it. He and the hero had always bantered as they fought, but to see him act so violently was a rare sight.

So absorbed in relishing Dick’s unusual behavior, Slade hadn’t noticed that said man had him pinned on the ground, shaking him by his chest armor angrily. Perhaps the mercenary should have been paying better attention. 

“Seriously, Slade? I could have cracked my head open - I could have  _ died _ . What were you thinking?!” Nightwing growled, unexpectedly ripping the older man’s mask off. Being caught off guard, the older man couldn’t hide the surprised yet satisfied smirk on his lips fast enough for the hero not to notice it. “Y-You’re not even sorry! You motherfucker.” He hissed, slamming the mercenary’s head back against the ground and jumping off of him. He then marched back and forth a few feet away, trying to blow off steam.

Slade disregarded the way his head rang as he sat up, calling to the other man. “You do remember that I’m a villain, don’t you?” The younger man whipped around to glare daggers at him in response, making Slade’s whole body feel tingly.

“Of course I remember, but I just thought… You know, we’ve never gone that far with our fights. I didn’t think you would actually...” His anger dissipated, slowly being replaced with hurt. Upon closer inspection, Slade could see that the hero was breathing hard, even shaking a bit. 

Guilt wasn’t really an emotion that Slade was capable of experiencing fully, but he felt something akin to it as he watched the younger hero turn his back to him. Regardless of their moral viewpoints, the two opposing forces did always have a sort of respect for each other, some alien type of trust. One might even call it an unspoken agreement to push each other but never go too far. Tonight, Slade had betrayed that trust by hurling the hero over the side of the building.

That made him  _ kind _ of feel bad, but not really. 

“I knew you would be able to get yourself out of the situation.” He stated calmly, making the man across from him stiffen. “Otherwise I would have caught you, little bird.” 

Dick’s shoulder’s slumped after that, hopefully from feeling comforted. The younger man’s hands were still shaky as he rubbed a hand through his shaggy, ebony hair, but Slade could tell that the hero was doing his best to subdue his emotions. The mercenary felt an odd urge to offer the other man some form of reassuring touch, something he had never felt the need to do before. He supposed that feeling stemmed from the last night they had met, after the gala, when they had kissed in front of his apartment door. 

The mercenary shook his head, trying his best not to dwell on that night since it had happened. Not to think about what it meant, or if it meant anything at all. He deducted that the only reason it happened was because of how wrecked Slade was that night... and that Dick had some unspoken daddy issues he needed to deal with.

Whether that night had meant anything or not, the older man couldn’t deny that having these intrusive thoughts about caring for the hero all of the sudden was unsettling. The mercenary did  _ not _ have time for these kinds of feelings.

Slade clenched his fists and forced himself to stand up, hardening his resolve as he approached the source of all of his inner turmoil. Dick was still facing away from him, looking dejected and distressed. He was either refusing to look at Slade or he was mentally preoccupied with something else. The older man’s hand hovered over the man’s shoulder, so tempted to pull the hero into his chest, to kiss him just like he had so many nights ago. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it, he didn’t even know why he had such a strong desire to do so in the first place.

When Nightwing turned around a few seconds later, the mercenary was long gone.

-

Fate had them meet once again at another upper class, cocktail party; this one hosted by Bruce Wayne himself. Eyes met from across the room just like before, but this time, Dick didn’t smile at him. Instead, he barely acknowledged the older man and returned to socializing with other members who swarmed him for attention. Slade didn’t mind, or at least that’s what he told himself as he mosied around the event to converse with his own connections. 

It was an incredibly trite experience, but the mercenary was thrilled that he was definitely on top of his game compared to last time. He knew almost every face at this party, from the esteemed guests to their measly assistants. He had a precise list of people he needed to sweet talk before the night ended, to keep up appearances. Fortunately for him, Dick Grayson was not on that list. 

He visited with other guests, downing a few drinks with them and laughing at nothing in particular. He was dancing with a few upper class women he knew when he felt the eyes of a particularly aggravated hero on him. Whenever Slade turned to subtly look for the boy though, the young man was nowhere to be found. It was unlikely that a trained mercenary would mistake this feeling, however.

When Slade decided to take a break from mingling, he thought a trip to the restroom might buy him some peace and quiet from his rather busy night. Unluckily, he was sorely mistaken as he neared the bathroom entrance and heard the rustling of clothes and hushed voices. 

He rolled his eye tiredly.  _ What is this, some college party?  _

After debating for a moment whether he should interrupt whoever was inside or just find a different bathroom altogether, Slade decided he didn’t mind ruining someone’s night. In fact, it might even cheer him up a bit. What he wasn’t expecting, as he pushed open the poorly-locked door, was to find Dick on his knees in front of some older man with his fly down.

Dick sprang to his feet, blushing while the other man not-so-discreetly zipped himself up. The stranger stammered as he tried to find an excuse for their unwelcome guest.

“Sorry gents, the door must have gotten a bit stuck. Hope I wasn’t interrupting something?” Slade taunted them, enjoying the way the other man began to sweat in his presence. 

“H-How strange! I’ll have to speak with an attendant about fixing that. Be seeing you.” The uncomfortable man rushed past Slade and out the door like his life depended on it. Dick remained in the restroom though, leaning against the tiled wall with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed with annoyance. 

“Thanks, asshole. Do you know how close I was to getting that scumbag to make a huge donation to one of our charities?” Dick sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. He looked much more worn out since Slade had last seen him, dark circles pooling under his usually bright eyes.

The mercenary felt a distinct unease festering in his chest, but he couldn’t identify why. He was upset with Dick, but he didn’t have the right to be. He despised the piece of human garbage that left the bathroom just a minute ago, but that man hadn’t done anything wrong to earn Slade’s hatred. Nothing made sense.

“Wow,  _ so _ sorry to have stopped you from getting your dirty money for the kids, Grayson. Maybe next time you should skip the foreplay and just get straight to business?” Slade lifted an eyebrow at the younger man, who’s lip twitched resentfully back at him. 

“Shut the fuck up, Slade. Don’t bother with things that don’t involve you.” Dick snarled, moving to push past the mercenary. 

Slade caught his wrist, speaking to the man without looking at him. “You weren’t joking when you said your father was whoring you out at these events.” It wasn’t a question, but he waited for an answer anyway.

“I... make my own decisions. It’s not Bruce’s fault people are willing to lend their money and power in exchange for… favors.” The younger man worded carefully, through clenched teeth. His beautiful blue eyes were tainted with dark loathing for the mercenary. 

Slade glared back at him with his steel eye unwavering. “Your body is worth more than that, kid. I’m sorry your father never taught you that.” 

With that he released Dick, who, after hesitating for half a second, stormed out without another word.

Once Slade left the bathroom, it was simple to say he wasn’t quite in a “partying” mood anymore. He also didn’t want to risk bumping into the young hero again, as he was unsure of how either of them would react. 

While waiting for the valet to pull his car around, Slade wrote a large check for one of the charities sponsoring Bruce Wayne’s event and gave it to a staff member collecting donations near the exit. 

On his drive home, he fantasized about beheading the man that Dick was knelt in front of in that restroom. 

As he fell asleep in his bed, he dreamt of being the one Dick would get down on his knees for.

-

The next time the two met, it was Dick who sought Slade out. 

The two men hadn’t run into each other in a few months. Scratch that, they’d  _ undoubtedly _ been avoiding each other for the last few months. The mercenary rarely saw the hero during his nights out in Gotham, but when they did cross paths they both understood that ignoring each other was for the greater good. It just made things a bit less awkward. 

Now this didn’t mean that Slade hadn’t been  _ thinking _ about the young man. One might even brazenly say he never  _ stopped _ thinking about his favorite little bird, but Slade would never admit it out loud. He knew he was hyper fixating on the young man, it was a trait of his that he wasn’t always proud of but accepted nonetheless. It just felt impossible to think of anything or anyone else when Dick was so  _ special. _ He was an enigma, being raised and trained by a man like Batman, yet also so emotionally intact and complex despite his abnormal upbringing. 

It was obvious that Slade respected Dick Grayson, and he didn’t feel that way for many of his peers, let alone ones that were  _ heroes _ . The mercenary saw so much of himself in the young vigilante, but no, that wasn’t true, Dick was entirely unique in his own way. He was more sensitive than Slade ever could be, and his heart was full of passion for his loved ones and justice itself. 

The mercenary had always known this about the boy, but ever since he returned from Bolivia, he had become particularly taken with Dick. It was likely due to the fact that the hero no longer lived under Batman’s rules; he was truly blossoming into his own person. A person that Slade was desperately fascinated and obsessed with.

_ And yet you slut-shamed him. _ The mercenary reminded himself frustratedly. Currently, he was grocery shopping at a market near his apartment. He had a week until his next contract, so he figured he should take advantage of the time off and enjoy some home-cooked meals. He might also choose to spend the entire week overanalyzing his last interaction with Dick, but only time could tell.

If Dick was avoiding Slade because he was a villain, that was something the man could expect and understand. But it irked him that the younger man was only evading him because of how Slade had treated him when they last met. It was a moment he replayed in his head over and over again. The mercenary didn’t really feel regret over any decisions he made in his life, but did find himself often wondering how that night could have played out differently. How he could have handled the situation better, in a way that didn’t put the younger man down for making a few errors in judgement. 

Slade grumbled to himself, pushing the negative thoughts aside while he continued shopping. He couldn’t focus on that night forever; he either had to accept that he had fucked up or approach Grayson to talk about it personally. At that moment, neither of those things sounded particularly fun to take on.

The troubled mercenary turned down a frozen-food aisle, looking for frozen fruit he could use for some smoothies, when someone tossed something into his cart. The older man paused, confused.

_ Who does that? Some idiot?  _ He grunted, glancing down to see that the person across the aisle from him had tossed some ice cream bars into his cart.

From behind, the young man looked like an average college student. A pair of gray skinny jeans, a red pullover, and a gray beanie pulled over his dark hair.  _ Typical kids, not paying attention to their surroundings.  _ Slade thought, getting ready to call the kid out when he realized that this kid didn’t even have a  _ basket _ . Did he come in just to buy ice cream, and then threw his only item in someone else’s cart? Slade did  _ not _ have the patience for this today.

“Excuse me,” He said as calmly as he could manage through gritted teeth, enjoying the way the boy’s shoulders jumped up with surprise at his voice. But when the punk turned around, he wore a guilty smile and a pair of stunning blue eyes that Slade knew all too well.

“Sorry,” Dick gave a small grin, “I thought you could use something sweet to break up all that healthy crap you picked up.” Slade was at a loss for words, taking in the younger man in his casual attire. He had never seen the hero in clothes that weren’t for a fancy event or his Nightwing suit. Like this he looked so… sweet. More relaxed and well-rested. It made Slade’s heart feel at ease.

Dick laughed awkwardly, readjusting his beanie slightly. “Bat got your tongue? Guess you didn’t expect to see me here, huh?” 

Slade finally regained use of his brain enough to reply, “No, I didn’t. What are you doing here?” He continued ogling the younger man, still soaking in his presence like he was afraid the hero might disappear if he blinked.

“Oh you know, I was just in the neighborhood…” Dick trailed off unconvincingly, glancing anywhere but at Slade. 

“You live in Bludhaven, Grayson.” The mercenary smirked, enjoying the way Dick shifted restlessly under his gaze. 

“And your point is?” The dark-haired man huffed, leaning back against the glass door and crossing his arms, challenging the older man with his determined scowl.

Slade leaned forward against his shopping cart handle, utterly amused. “My point is that you live half an hour away from here. Why stop by a grocery store that’s not near you or daddy Bat’s house?” Slade narrowed his single eye on the young hero who’s mouth twitched, searching for an excuse.

“Fine,” Dick rolled his eyes, stepping forward to stand up to the older man, “I wanted to see you, and talk with you... if you’re open to it.” He looked stern but uneasy, obviously anxious about confronting the mercenary like this. His usually bright eyes were full of unrest. Slade wanted to reach out to him, to let him know he had nothing to be worried about. Instead, he gripped the handle of his shopping cart tighter to resist his impulse.

“Of course, would you mind if we went somewhere more private than my local supermarket?” Slade teased him and was happy to see relief wash over Dick’s face. 

“Where do you suggest?” 

“My place?” Slade recommended, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt.

Dick pondered this for a moment before nodding slowly. “Sure, but only if you promise to make me lunch.” 

They shared a smile and made their way to the checkout line. Dick threw a few candy bars on the conveyor belt while eyeing Slade sheepishly. The mercenary rolled his eye but didn’t try to stop the boy, paying for the hero’s sugar addiction as the cashier rang him up. Dick beamed, snatching the candy bar from the plastic bag as they made their way to Slade’s car. 

“Did you drive here?” Slade asked him, noticing the boy heading to the passenger side of his car, like it was completely normal. 

Dick stopped, somehow surprised by the question. “No, I asked Alfred to drop me off here. Is it okay if I ride with you?” 

Slade snorted but curtly nodded, as if he had a choice. He unlocked his car and watched the young man slip inside and get cozy, munching happily on his chocolate bar. Slade was struggling to get over seeing the boy under such mundane circumstances. He looked so lazy and content, it was a side of the hero that was rarely seen, at least by the older man. 

“Quit checking me out and drive, old man.” The former-Robin chastised him, flashing a knowing smirk. Slade scoffed but didn’t correct him. Fortunately, it wasn’t something he felt bad about. 

Well, perhaps one thing regarding that statement bothered him. “Old man? Who are you calling an old man? You damn brat.” Robin erupted in a fit of laughter, nearly choking on the bite of chocolate. Slade cackled as the younger man’s laughter dissolved into a coughing fit. “Serves you right, and you better not get anything on my seats.” He scolded the younger man.

“You’re so rude!” Dick whined, a hand against his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. “You’re a mean old man, Slade.” The boy still couldn’t hold back a playful grin despite all of his hacking.

“Hey, you kissed this old man not so long ago.” Slade leered at him. He didn’t have to look at Dick to know that the boy was blushing, but he looked anyway, because why not? 

The young hero groaned and pulled the edges of his beanie down embarrassedly. “Slaaaade, you play dirty!” 

“I’m not a good guy, Grayson.” Slade shrugged, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

The dark-haired boy had pulled his knees up to his chest and was burying his face in the space in between them, making his voice muffled. 

“I know that.” He said quietly to himself.

“Hm?” Slade asked, glancing at the boy amusedly. Dick pulled his head up and let out a loud exhale. 

“I said I know that already!” He then promptly placed his chin on his raised knee, pouting slightly.

Unsure how to continue that conversation, the rest of the drive was made in silence until Slade pulled into his complex. He pulled into a small, somewhat hidden garage and parked his car. 

He and Dick exited the car and grabbed the groceries out of the trunk, still without speaking. Slade wasn’t sure if the younger man felt awkward or was still brooding about his teasing in the car. Nevertheless, the mercenary wasn’t bothered by it, so he moved on through a hallway knowing Dick would follow him. He led them to an elevator, which he was pretty sure made Dick mutter something angry about all the stairs he had taken the last time he was here. They slowly made their way to the fifth floor and headed towards Slade’s apartment door. Only once they made it inside with the groceries placed on the counter did Dick start speaking freely again.

“Your place is really nice.” He stated with wide eyes, taking in the modern decor.

Slade half-smiled, “Don’t act so surprised. You probably thought I lived in some evil dungeon, huh?”    
“I mean… if we’re being honest, a little bit, yeah.” Dick smiled at him, cheeky as ever. 

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint.” Slade shook his head sadly, putting his groceries away little by little. “The dungeon is my summertime home, so you’ll have to wait a few months to see it.” Dick laughed at this, taking a seat on one of the barstools at Slade’s kitchen island. 

“Damn, I knew I should have waited longer to contact you.” Slade watched as Dick removed his jacket and beanie, getting shockingly comfortable despite being in his arch-nemisis’s home. The mercenary loved the way that slightly matted hair fell across the hero’s face since it wasn’t being pushed back by the beanie. The older man had to force himself to keep putting things away so he wouldn’t be caught staring.

“So, why  _ did _ you contact me?” Slade eyed Dick while he continued moving around the kitchen. The younger man had a nervous expression on his face again, looking down at the countertop timidly.

“Uh, h-how about some lunch first? I’m starving.” Dick suggested quickly, shooting out of his seat to search through the mercenary’s cupboards.

Slade watched him incredulously. The hero was scrambling like a mad man, he couldn’t seem to stay still for more than a second. He pulled out a mishmash of things from the older man’s cupboards and fridge, none of which paired well together. 

“What are you doing?” Slade finally asked, his patience running out. Dick froze, looking over his shoulder at the man anxiously. 

“Getting lunch ready?” He explained lightly.

“What kind of lunch is this?” Slade started picking things up off of the counter that the bird had pulled out, “Canned Tuna? Protein bars? Chili? Grape juice?”   
Dick eyed the items cautiously, as if he couldn’t identify what was wrong with the selection. After a solid minute, the hero shrugged. “I won’t lie, this is absolutely an assortment that would qualify as ‘dinner’ in my house.” Slade’s single eye widened and shot between the questionable young man and his even more questionable choices. The older man shuddered a bit, unable to imagine how the boy could survive off of such a poor diet.

“You sadden me.” Slade sighed, putting the items back in their intended locations and instead pulling out a few ingredients of his own choosing.

Dick leaned back against the counter awkwardly, watching the other man with curious eyes. “Sorry, I’ve always had someone else cook for me since Bruce took me in.” A shameful smile spread across his face as he laughed at his own expense, “Moving out was a rude awakening to my lack of culinary skills.” 

“That’s no excuse to eat like some sort of animal.” Slade reprimanded him, “Now start cooking half of this pack.” The mercenary handed him a package of bacon, “you can manage that, right?”    
Dick’s spine straightened, offended. “Of course.” He muttered to himself as he looked through Slade’s lower cabinets for a frying pan. 

The older man left him to his own devices, trusting he couldn’t  _ possibly  _ screw up such a simple task as cooking bacon. Focusing on his own task at hand, Slade pulled out a cutting board and knife, preparing some tomato and lettuce. As the bacon neared completion, Slade through a couple slices of bread in his toaster oven to finish the job.

The two ate their BLT’s leisurely, chatting idly while they did so. It wasn’t as nutritious of a meal as Slade would prefer to make, but he knew he needed to make something quick and uncomplicated for this occasion. He wanted Dick to get on with telling him  _ why _ exactly he was here, stalking Slade down in a grocery store on a perfectly fine Sunday afternoon. What could he possibly want that would require such strange, direct confrontation? What could be so important that Dick couldn’t just tell him next time they ran into each other naturally? It was driving Slade insane to not know.

But the young hero was still avoiding the topic, leisurely looking around Slade’s house after he finished eating and washing the dishes as thanks for the meal. He wandered around picking things up and commenting on every small detail he could manage. Part of Slade found it entertaining, but the other part wanted to pin the other man down until he stopped prolonging the conversation that needed to happen.

“You have 3 bedrooms to yourself? Damn, how much are they charging you for this place? I might move in.” Dick claimed as he peeped down the hallway, beginning to inch his way dangerously towards Slade’s bedroom.

The mercenary grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back, pushing him against the hallway wall. As much as Slade enjoyed Dick prancing around his apartment like they were good friends, his patience was wearing thin. “Dick, that’s enough stalling.” 

The dark-haired man pouted, crossing his arms defensively as he relaxed against the wall. “I’m not stalling, I’m  _ exploring. _ ” He shuffled his feet, suddenly finding the ground to be quite interesting.

“Just tell me what you came here to say.” Slade demanded, letting go of the hero’s collar but not backing out of his personal space. “I made you lunch, right? Haven’t I deserved _some_ sort of an explanation?” 

The younger man groaned but nodded hesitantly. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and pursed his lips a few times, searching for the right words. He seemed to find resolve as he focused his gaze on Slade, meeting his eye with an openness Slade wasn’t expecting. “I wanted to thank you, for what you said at Bruce’s party.” The mercenary’s eyebrows raised, but he didn’t interrupt the younger man, waiting for him to continue.

Dick licked his lips nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other while he continued speaking, “At that time, I was angry with you for butting into business that wasn’t yours but… the more I thought about it, the more I realized you were right. I wasn’t valuing my body or my own self-worth. I was too focused on trying to get something that I thought was worth the trade, too focused on trying to feel  _ helpful.  _ I appreciate that you cared enough to say something.” 

Dick looked extremely tense, vulnerable even. Slade didn’t know what to make of the situation, he never dreamt of the hero making a point to thank him in person over such a rude comment he made months ago. Yet, he was glad the young man was reconsidering his methods of securing benefits from other aristocrats.

“You’re, uh, welcome.” Slade forced out somewhat stiffly. He wasn’t sure what else there was to say on the matter that wasn’t crossing some sort of line between them. 

The bird continued shyly, perhaps to prevent more stale silence. “I hope you don’t let my bad decisions reflect poorly on Bruce’s character. You know, since I suggested that he was ‘whoring me out’ before. The choice was entirely my own. When I came out to Bruce as bisexual a few years ago, his views on the matter were a bit… outdated, to say the least. He assumed bisexual people were permiscous, and he thought I could use that to my advantage. I was too on edge to correct him, until recently. Thanks to you.” Dick tucked loose strands of hair behind his ear shyly. That combined with his flushed cheeks had Slade feeling a certain type of way.

“You are still young, little bird. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you grow from them, but… I’m glad you’re treating yourself with more respect.” Slade said gently, reaching over to squeeze Dick’s shoulder. The mercenary hadn’t taken part in such a personal conversation with anyone in years, so he was sure his comforting skills were rusty. Dick smiled at him though, acknowledging his attempt. 

“Me too. I have to remember to do things for myself sometimes. It’s difficult.” The younger man’s eyes flashed with something regretful. Slade assumed this was most likely due to the kid’s strong sense of moral responsibility, which often outweighed his own personal life and desires. 

“You’re human, Dick, try not to stress about it too much. As you age, you will find ways to feel balanced.” Slade told him, watching the boys eyes go from burdened to hopeful.   
“You really think so?” He asked sincerely, eyes glistening. 

Slade nodded surely. “I do.” 

Dick sighed blissfully at this, leaning his head back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling while he mulled over the older man’s words. They stood in pleasant silence, the tension that hung in the air between them releasing slowly. 

“You know,” Dick whispered hesitantly, “You’re pretty nice for a bad guy.” 

Slade clenching his jaw tightly. He wasn’t sure if he was going to like where this conversation was going or not. “And?” He asked as even-temperedly as he could manage.

Dick bashfully scratched at his neck.“Well, um, I guess I’m just shocked, is all.”

“I don’t blame you, it’s not like we’ve seen much of each other outside of fighting until this year. Also,” Slade leaned forward with an eyebrow raised, “I’m not  _ really _ a nice guy. You should know that by now, little bird.” He smirked as the younger man audibly swallowed, his bright blue eyes bearing into Slade’s single steel blue eye.

“You’re not  _ that  _ bad…” Dick insisted, looking away as his face reddened.

“Dick, I literally get hired to kill people for a living. Not only that, but a few weeks ago I accidentally threw you off of a building. What part of that makes me seem good?” Slade mused, but was curious to know what the hero was trying to get at. The mercenary was by no means a ‘good guy’, but he supposed he also didn’t consider himself completely evil either. He lived by a collection of rules and standards that he had set for himself. The older man only took certain types of contracts, only made clean kills if he could help it. But at the end of the day, all he wanted was a good meal and a relaxing night in, like most normal folk. Perhaps that aspect of his life was what puzzled the former-Robin.

“I know that.” Dick snapped, dragging Slade out of his thoughts. The younger man was looking at him frustratedly now, his eyebrows scrunched together tightly. It made Slade’s heart beat just a little bit faster. He hated how enticed he felt by the hero when Dick was visibly angry with him. “Of course I know that.” The younger man repeated, softer this time, his eyes troubled. “I just feel like there must be a reason.”   
This caught Slade’s attention. “A reason for what?”    
Dick went back to avoiding eye contact with the other man who was closing in on his personal space with each passing second. Slade could see that his ears were burning red with embarrassment. If Slade wasn’t so desperate to know what the boy had to say, he would have poked fun at him for it. Instead, he decided to watch Dick tremble against the wall, so utterly torn about whatever was on his mind.   
“Dick, what are you talking about?” Slade inquired again, more sternly this time. The hero finally stopped fidgeting, yet his breathing noticeably quickened. 

The mercenary was going to press him again when the young man finally blurted out, “I’m trying to figure out why I like you!” 

Slade’s eye widened with complete astonishment, he was speechless. First the young man was thanking him for slut-shaming him, and now he was suddenly confessing?! What the hell was happening?

Dick continued rambling over the older man’s silence, the words spilling out of his mouth quickly. “I-I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since you came back. It feels like everywhere I turn,  _ you’re there. _ Whether it’s in person or in my head, I just can’t understand why I’m so infatuated with you.” Dick stared at him despairingly before resting his head in the palm of his hands in defeat. “Please say something, Slade.” 

“I…” Slade squinted, considering the words in his head. What was he supposed to say? Of course, he hadn’t stopped thinking about his little bird either, but was appropriate for him to confess such a thing? They led such different lives, had such contrasting morals. Would it be better to deny the younger man in this moment, to save them both from the trouble of figuring out whatever  _ was going on  _ between them? Slade might have a high level of intellect, but even he didn’t know what the right answer was. 

Unfortunately, the hero seemed to take his silence as a form of rejection, because he began to tremble even harder than before. “I’m sorry.” Dick apologized forlornly, pushing off of the wall. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. Thank you for the nice lunch, and for dealing with me.” He booked it towards the front door so hastily, Slade had to actually run after him to catch him as the bird’s hand wrapped around the door handle. 

“Dick,  _ wait.”  _ Slade ordered, but it sounded more like begging. He had the other man by the wrist and wasn’t really sure what his next step was other than stopping him from leaving. 

“Slade, please, I already feel mortified. Just let me go.” Dick pleaded, half-heartedly attempting to pull his wrist away. Slade could see his anguished eyes brimming with tears. 

“I won’t.” Slade stated simply.

“Why?” Dick turned around to face the man with a tortured expression.

Slade found he had to catch his own breath as Dick stared at him so intensely. He had a feeling this was going to be his only chance to speak his honest opinion before Dick left and refused to see him ever again.

_ I feel the same way. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the night of the gala. About that kiss. About opening that bathroom door and seeing you on your knees in front of that scum...  _ The mercenary cursed himself for the words that remained trapped in his skull. Here was Dick being so open with him, yet Slade couldn’t even muster a proper sentence about his own stupid feelings.

_ Weak. Unspoken. Afraid to take action.  _ That just wasn’t the kind of man Slade was.

He briskly yanked the young man toward him by the wrist, molding their lips together. He rested one hand on Dick’s hip while the other held the small of his back, pulling them closer together. This kiss felt nothing like the one they shared the night of the gala, this was entirely more controlled and intentional.

The older man was more than glad to be sober and well rested this time around so he could savor the kiss properly. Everything about the hero was so incredibly soft, from his lips to his hands that needily wrapped around Slade’s neck. The mercenary loved how the other man felt pressed up against him, his body slender but muscular at the same time. Slade noticed that Dick had definitely grown much taller in the past few years, no longer as petite as he once was during his days with the Titans. The older man much preferred him at this current height, just a few inches below Slade’s eye level. He was pleased with the idea of having to lean down to kiss the younger man, as well as being able to pick him up and toss him around easily. 

He decided to test out this daydream by grabbing the hero by his hips and lifting him up. It was just as easy as he had hoped. Dick gasped but complied, excitedly wrapping his legs around Slade’s waist. The mercenary carried him over to the couch in his living room and laid the younger man down on its cushions. 

After pulling back, Slade felt taken by Dick’s beauty. The young man was looking up at him with wild, lustful eyes, pink cheeks, and tousled hair spilling around his face. Slade would have been tempted to kiss him again if he didn’t notice the boy’s eyes widening with realization and his mouth hanging open like a gaping fish. 

_ Great, I broke him. _

“Dick, please don’t pass out on me, I’m not sure I can mentally handle that kind of thing right now.”    
The hero inhaled sharply, as if he truly forgot to breathe in that moment. His eyes searched Slade’s face, analyzing the man. Slade would have given anything to know what was going through that pretty head of his.

After chewing on his lip a bit, Dick finally spoke. “Wait,so… you like me too?” He asked so tenderly, it made Slade’s chest bloom with warmth.

“I do.” It was such an effortless answer, much more simplified than how Slade actually felt. He was endlessly intrigued by the young hero, as well as unbelievably attracted to him in a way that he hadn’t felt towards anyone in  _ decades _ . Whether he liked the hero or not was the easiest question the mercenary could answer at that moment. 

“ _ Really?”  _ Dick asked, seemingly flabbergasted at the thought, despite the fact that they had just spent the past few minutes wrapped up in each other, making out. His mouth continued to hang open which made Slade break out in a small snort.   
“Close your mouth, you look ridiculous.” Slade smirked, brushing away hair that covered the young man’s face. Dick closed his eyes in response, sighing at his touch. “And to answer your question, yes, of course. I care for you, Dick.” There was so much more he wanted to say, so many feelings that were threatening to burst through his ribcage. But spilling his guts just wasn’t the mercenary’s style, he was much more obliged to  _ show _ rather than tell how he felt. 

“I’m so relieved.” Dick admitted, rolling his head back and forth against the couch cushion enthusiastically. He beamed up at Slade, nearly blinding the older man with his charm. “I never thought I’d be relieved to hear that my arch-enemy likes me back.” They both chuckled at that.

“Have you always had a thing for bad guys?” Slade joked, loving the way that the hero’s face burned hotly at the comment. If he thought Dick looked remarkable when he was angry, then a flustered looking Dick was even more magnificent. The mercenary was beginning to feel like he would never want the boy to put a mask back on again.

“Only when they’re handsome, older men.” The hero quipped back at him. He immediately broke into laughter as Slade’s eyebrows creased together with major concern. There were way too many older, good-looking villains in the world for Slade to find that thought comforting for even a second. “I’m just kidding! I’m sorry.”   
Slade shook his head but smiled nonetheless, leaning in to kiss the boy again, even slower this time. Dick looked positively dizzy as he pulled away.

“You’re going to give me a lot of trouble, aren’t you?” Slade snickered.

The dark-haired man hummed, eyes sparkling mischievously as he reached up to run his fingers through Slade’s hair, pulling slightly. “I just might.” He grinned, pulling the older man back down for more.

Slade looked forward to dealing with this kind of trouble tonight, and any other nights that might follow.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 of my Nights Like These series <3 Thank you to the homiest homie @BeeBeePink for being my beta for this chapter! Please go check out her wonderful writing if you have the time. I'm planning to add one more oneshot to this series, so please leave a comment to let me know what you think so far! The next one...will be rated M if you know what I mean ;D Thank you for reading c:


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